Serenity: Those Left Behind

Serenity: Those Left Behind
Cover of the trade paperback, collecting the series. Art by Adam Hughes
Publication information
Publisher	Dark Horse Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Limited series
Publication date(s)	July 20, 2005 - September 9, 2005
No. of issues	3 (9 covers)
Main character(s)	Firefly main characters
Creative team
Written by	Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews
Artist(s)	Will Conrad
Colorist(s)	Laura Martin

Serenity: Those Left Behind is a 2005 three-issue comic book limited series published by Dark Horse Comics. It was written by Brett Matthews with Joss Whedon credited for story, illustrated by Will Conrad, and colored by Laura Martin.

It is the first comic book series to be based on Whedon's short-lived 2002 television series Firefly and the 2005 feature film into which it was adapted, Serenity.

The story is set between the end of the series and the beginning of the film, and its plot includes the depiction of what happened to Lawrence Dobson, the Alliance secret agent who attempted to capture Simon and River Tam in the pilot episode of Firefly, also titled "Serenity."

The story opens with Shepherd Book giving a sermon in a border-planet town, which is shortly revealed to be a diversion so Mal, Zoe, and Jayne can pull a heist. The three are in a standoff with fellow thief Ott and his gang, who were tipped off to the job by an unknown party. Ott demands the payload, and Mal agrees, not wanting to risk the lives of his crew. Pushing his luck, Ott then asks Mal to give up his gun, as well. Mal threatens Ott to back down, but he persists. Mal briefly muses on how his gun was one of two things that got him through the war, and stuck with him afterwards (the other being Zoe). Mal drops his gun to the floor, but then kicks it into Ott's face, knocking out a few of his teeth. Ott orders his men to open fire, and a pitched firefight ensues. Ott's team retreats with the payload, while Mal, Zoe, and Jayne pursue. Ott's crew escapes the planet, after notifying the entire town of the heist. While the townspeople chase Mal and the others, thinking that they have the stolen money, Shepherd Book steals a transport and the four make their escape.